Background
Our
History in the Struggle for Environmental Justice.
The United Church of Christ was an early
leader in the cause of environmental justice and in the fight against
environmental racism. We began with the protest against the establishment of a
toxic waste dump in a predominantly Black community in North Carolina. Growing
out of that event, the UCC Commission for Racial Justice conducted the
now-famous 1987 statistical survey on "Toxic Waste and Race." The UCC
sponsored two "People of Color Summit Meetings" and the first of
those meetings generated what is now seen as the classic list of ethical norms
for the environmental justice movement.
Through the years, the UCC has actively
provided support to a variety of grassroots groups addressing specific instances
of environmental racism such as hog farming in North Carolina, the
environmental destruction from military activities in Vieques, Puerto Rico, and
pollution along the Mexico-US border. The UCC’s emphasis on environmental
racism has been strengthened by its relationship to our denomination’s strong
stands and constituencies related to racial justice, a well-established
"issue-based" action strategy, and advocacy methods similar to that
used for other justice work within the UCC.
The UCC Network for Environmental and
Economic Responsibility (NEER) was formed in the late 1980s and early 90s as a
grassroots effort with a broad eco-justice agenda. NEER was active in promoting
"Whole Earth Churches" on the model of "Just Peace Churches",
and over 300 congregations made that declaration. NEER gathered a large
delegation of UCC members to attend the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio, and organized
several regional conferences for education and leadership training.
In the new century, the UCC has continued
its environmental and racial justice advocacy at the Centers for Education and
Social Transformation at Franklinton Center at Bricks, in Washington, DC, and
at the Romero Center in San Ysidro, CA. In 2007, the Energy and Environment
Task Force presented a report to the General Synod to combine the strengths of
our historic advocacy against environmental racism and the added advocacy for
climate justice towards establishing the UCC Environmental Justice Center at
Pilgrim Firs in Port Orchard, Washington.
The UCC Call to Action
2009 Twenty-seventh General
Synod--Grand Rapids
- On
the Urgency for Action on Climate Change.
Resolution of Witness. The Executive Council recommends referral of the
resolution, "On the Urgency for Action on Climate Change," submitted
by the Connecticut Conference, to the implementing bodies named in "A
Resolution on Climate Change" as voted by the Twenty-Sixth General Synod
(07-GS-16).
- Earthwise
Congregation: On Mediating Climate Change.
Prudential Resolution. The Executive Council recommends referral of the
resolution, "Earthwise Congregation: On Mediating Climate Change,"
submitted by the Minnesota Conference, to the implementing bodies named in
"A Resolution on Climate Change" as voted by the Twenty-Sixth General
Synod (07-GS-16).
2007 Twenty-Sixth General Synod in
Hartford
2005 Twenty-Fifth General Synod in
Atlanta
- Call
for Environmental Education and Action
This Resolution calls on all expressions of the United Church of Christ to
implement programs for education and action to address issues of environmental
protection, environmental justice and sustainable development. It establishes
an Environmental Steering Committee to implement this Resolution in close
coordination with Justice and Witness Ministries.
- Resolution
on Supporting Congregations and Providing Guidance for Leadership This resolution is offered to initiate exploration by
the United Church of Christ of the role of the Church in meeting economic,
ecological, and consequent spiritual challenges associated with predicted
declines in future oil and natural gas supplies. The UCC is asked to begin a
long term program to support faith based actions to create conditions that will
foster a movement to sustainable conditions at the individual church,
conference, UCC, and broader societal levels.
2001 Twenty-third General Synod
- Call
For Staffing to Address EcoJustice Concerns
This resolution urges each of the four Covenanted Ministries of the United
Church of Christ to designate staff to deal with ecojustice issues and themes
and to work cooperatively with the other ministries to ensure that the
spiritual, theological, moral. and social dimensions of ecojustice are
addressed across the life of the whole church.
Task Force
Formed in 2005 from a combination of
two prudential resolutions Call for Environmental Education and Action and Resolution on Supporting Congregations and Providing Guidance
for Stewardship of God's Creation During the Coming Period of Declining Fossil
Fuels at General Synod 25 in Atlanta, the
Environmental and Energy Task Force (EETF) operates through Justice and Witness
Ministries (JWM) to help provide resources, networking and guidance for
environmental programming in the congregations and conferences of the United
Church of Christ
EETF has issued The
United Church of Christ: Toward a National Environmental Focus. Its subcommittee, the Energy and Climate Work Group,
has issued The
next 50 years: sustaining our faith and promoting Peace and justice while using
resources wisely to care for creation.
Both were reports prepared for General Synod 26 in Hartford in 2007.
In February 2009 a covenant was written between JWM and EETF's Organizing Work
Group to further define the partnership of this dedicated team of
individuals—environmental leaders across the nation—with the traditional
environmental justice work of JWM
Pastoral Letter
The Collegium of Officers issued a
Pastoral Letter on Faith and Environment "And
Indeed it is very Good" in April
2008 which invites us to offer prayer for care of the earth, and opens our
hearts to seek compassionate actions that can be taken to alleviate the
suffering of our fellow children (and creatures) of God. "
